Bipartisan Approaches to International Religious Freedom

In a time of increasing polarization at home and increasing persecution abroad, the topic of international religious freedom remains a bipartisan issue that promotes cooperation throughout the political spectrum. Hosted by the Pepperdine School of Public Policy and the Sudreau Global Justice Institute at the Caruso School of Law, former ambassadors Brownback and Saperstein will speak broadly about the importance of the United States advancing religious freedom around the world, how the two pursued international religious freedom both in and out of government, and how the right and left can work together in pursuit of it. The conversation will be moderated by Pete Peterson, dean of the School of Public Policy.

About the Speakers

Rabbi David Saperstein

For 40 years, Rabbi David Saperstein directed the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, representing the Reform Jewish Movement, the largest segment of American Jewry, to the US Congress and administration.

During President Obama’s second second term, Rabbi Saperstein served as the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, carrying out his responsibilities as the country’s chief diplomat on religious freedom issues. Since leaving government, he has served as the senior advisor on policy and strategy to the Union for Reform Judaism. As an attorney, he taught seminars on church-state law and on Jewish law for 35 years at the Georgetown University Law Center. From 2019 to 2020, Rabbi Saperstein served as the president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, the international arm of the Reform Jewish Movement.

He currently serves as a co-chair of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network and was a Distinguished Fellow at the PM Glynn Center at the Australian Catholic University.

Sam Brownback

Sam Brownback served as the United States ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom from February 2018 to January 2021. He served as the 46th governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018 and, prior to that, represented his home state in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. While a member of the Senate, he worked actively on the issue of religious freedom in multiple countries and was a key sponsor of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. 

Prior to his public service, Ambassador Brownback practiced law and taught agricultural law at Kansas State University. He earned a BS from Kansas State University and a JD from the University of Kansas. Ambassador Brownback currently serves as co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit and is a Senior Fellow at Global Christian Relief. He is also chair of the National Committee for Religious Freedom.

Upcoming Event

Bipartisan Approaches to International Religious Freedom: 
A Conversation with Former Ambassadors Sam Brownback and Rabbi David Saperstein

Monday, April 8, 2024
12:30 PM PST
Caruso Auditorium

In a time of increasing polarization at home and increasing persecution abroad, the topic of international religious freedom remains a bipartisan issue that promotes cooperation throughout the political spectrum. Hosted by the Pepperdine School of Public Policy and the Sudreau Global Justice Institute at the Caruso School of Law, former ambassadors Brownback and Saperstein will speak broadly about the importance of the United States advancing religious freedom around the world, how the two pursued international religious freedom both in and out of government, and how the right and left can work together in pursuit of it. The conversation will be moderated by Pete Peterson, dean of the School of Public Policy.

About the Speakers

Rabbi David Saperstein

For 40 years, Rabbi David Saperstein directed the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, representing the Reform Jewish Movement, the largest segment of American Jewry, to the US Congress and administration.

During President Obama’s second term, Rabbi Saperstein served as the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, carrying out his responsibilities as the country’s chief diplomat on religious freedom issues. Since leaving government, he has served as the senior advisor on policy and strategy to the Union for Reform Judaism. As an attorney, he taught seminars on church-state law and on Jewish law for 35 years at the Georgetown University Law Center. From 2019 to 2020, Rabbi Saperstein served as the president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, the international arm of the Reform Jewish Movement.

He currently serves as a co-chair of the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network and was a Distinguished Fellow at the PM Glynn Center at the Australian Catholic University.

Sam Brownback

Sam Brownback served as the United States ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom from February 2018 to January 2021. He served as the 46th governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018 and, prior to that, represented his home state in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. While a member of the Senate, he worked actively on the issue of religious freedom in multiple countries and was a key sponsor of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. 

Prior to his public service, Ambassador Brownback practiced law and taught agricultural law at Kansas State University. He earned a BS from Kansas State University and a JD from the University of Kansas. Ambassador Brownback currently serves as co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Summit and is a Senior Fellow at Global Christian Relief. He is also chair of the National Committee for Religious Freedom.